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Gwent gets dressed up for St David's Day

St David's Day celebrations were held at Tredegar Park in Risca, followed by mililtary parade by 204 Field Hospital medics. Pictured is an armoured landrover ambulance on display to the public. (4335096)

St David's Day celebrations were held at Tredegar Park in Risca, followed by mililtary parade by 204 Field Hospital medics. Pictured entertaining the crowds are the Cardiff Morris Dancers. (4335136)

St David's Day celebrations were held at Tredegar Park in Risca, followed by mililtary parade by 204 Field Hospital medics. Pictured entertaining the crowds are the Cardiff Morris Dancers. (4335138)

St David's Day celebrations were held at Tredegar Park in Risca, followed by mililtary parade by 204 Field Hospital medics. Pictured inside the Army Ambulance on display is Taylor Clark aged 5 from Risca. (4335128)

St David's Day celebrations were held at Tredegar Park in Risca, followed by mililtary parade by 204 Field Hospital medics. Pictured is street performer Richard Wright. (4335134)

St David's Day celebrations were held at Tredegar Park in Risca, followed by mililtary parade by 204 Field Hospital medics. Pictured is an armoured landrover ambulance on display to the public. (4335123)

St David's Day celebrations were held at Tredegar Park in Risca, followed by mililtary parade by 204 Field Hospital medics. Pictured left is Molly Leaman and Elaine Baker both from Risca. (4335146)

CHOIRS, brass bands, stilt-walkers and facepainters were out in force across Caerphilly county this weekend to celebrate St David's Day.

In Blackwood there was a concert at the Dragon Circle near Asda where the multi-generational Caerphilly Community Chorus were in full song, and dancers Gwerinwyr Gwent entertained shoppers. There were people in full traditional Welsh dress as well as non-traditional outfits such as a daffodil on stilts.

In Risca's Tredegar Park, there was an armoured LandRover ambulance on display to the public; street performers dressed as rugby players; the Cardiff Morris Dancers, who have been interpreting English and Welsh dances since 1970; as well as youngsters dressed in both traditional Welsh costume and in combat gear like the soldiers.

The Risca event and a similar celebration at the Twyn community centre in Caerphilly finished with a rendition of the Welsh National Anthem.

Perhaps Gwent's cutest patriot was Abergavenny baby Harrison John Evans, aged six months, who was dressed in Welsh rugby kit for St David’s Day by proud parents Scott and Sarah Evans.

Harri, born four weeks prematurely at Nevill Hall Hospital by emergency caeserean in August last year, has undergone two operations for inguinal hernias but was recently given a clean bill of health.

Mum Sarah had a difficult pregnancy and the couple were told they may lose him, and that there was a one in five chance little Harri would be born with Down’s Syndrome.

But after a difficult start in life, Harri is now blooming and Mrs Evans, 31, dresses him up in special outfits, like his rugby kit, to send pictures to his grandparents, family and friends.

She said: “I always do cards for his grandparents. I’ve already got an outfit ready for Easter, and I did one for Hallow’en, and one every day in the run up to Christmas.

“He’s our first baby and having had such a difficult start in life it really makes you count your blessings, which is why we dress him up.

“He loves having his photo taken, and he had the cheekiest grin on his face for the Valentine’s day picture, he's going to be a heartbreaker for sure.”